Brent drop by

A light early east wind switched to the west and strengthened mid morning. High cloud with some sunny spells and a few short showers.

Report from Pete:

Whooper Swan 7 - Really high flock SSW over sea - probably crossed Lake District and staying same height 

Mediterranean gull 2 adult on Red nab one with metal on right leg.  

About 750 Knot possibly more obscured on Red nab

3 Reed bunting Red nab shore then SSE

Report from Jean:

Heysham Nature Reserve 

Vis

Woodpigeon 100 south

Rook 1 south

Carrion Crow 45 south in dribs and drabs

Chaffinch 7 south

Small finch sp, possibly Goldfinch or Linnet, 20 west in a loose flock

Lesser Redpoll 5

Reed Bunting 2

Species of note present:

Snipe 1

Water Rail 3

Siskin 3 feeding in alders

Goldcrest 3

Bullfinch 3

Grey Wagtail 2 (including the recently ringed one)

Middleton Nature Reserve 

Model Boat Pond

Mute Swan 2 ad and 5 imms (a 6th immature seen wandering near the road)

Little Grebe 1

Moorhen 5

Coot 1

Also from Middleton, ringing report from John:

Cold start this morning at Middleton, with heavy ground frost and temperature close to freezing when I arrived.

Only nineteen birds caught which comprised;

Lesser Redpoll         x4

Goldcrest                 x4

Cettis Warbler       x3  (2 new)

Wren                       x3

Chiffchaff                x1 

Chaffinch                x1 

Blackbird                x1 

Great Tit                 x1

Blue Tit                  x1   

Heysham skear - low water 15:00 (MD)

Great Crested Grebe 2

Red-breasted Merganser 4

Eider 2

Pale-bellied Brent goose 5 - The weather and tide were both typical for birds coming over to feed from the east side, so I was half expecting them. But these arrived during a series of showers around the bay. They just fed for about 10 minutes and must have flown off while I was looking elsewhere, so more likely to be off passage than visitors.

The first Brent Geese this winter - by this time the sun was shining again

For travelling companions, they weren't particularly companionable!

You can see in the above clip, that there isn't a lot of gutweed around, but even so there are plenty of easy picking for early arrivals. I was really surprised when they left so quickly.